Taunton police arrest five on drug charges; Two more heroin-related overdoses reported Friday morning after crash

Friday

Mar 7, 2014 at 10:39 PMMar 8, 2014 at 9:11 PM

Charles Winokoor Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter @cwinokoor

TAUNTON — Five Taunton residents were arrested on drug charges — including trafficking — after police executed a total of six search warrants Friday morning.

The joint operation between Taunton officers, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and detectives from surrounding police departments netted 140 grams of cocaine and 36 grams of heroin, authorities said.

Detectives from Taunton, Norton, Easton and Raynham and DEA agents from New Bedford and Worcester split into six teams after meeting in the former Cohannet School building to discuss strategy.

No one was reported injured and no weapons were confiscated during the raids, which took place at three separate addresses.

Of the three men and two women arrested, only one was released on personal recognizance during their arraignments in Taunton District Court.

The most serious charges were lodged against 28-year-old Robert Cananzey of 19 Harrison Ave.

Police said they confiscated a total of 129 grams of cocaine and 36 grams of heroin from Cananzey’s rear apartment and his 1999 Mercedes Benz, which police said was equipped with a lock box used to stash narcotics.

Cananzey was charged with single counts of cocaine and heroin trafficking.

Taunton District Court Judge Gregory Phillips ordered Cananzey held on $50,000 bail pending a March 11 appointment of counsel hearing.

In setting bail, Phillips considered Cananzey’s prior convictions for gun possession and drug distribution, a history of court defaults and two probation violations and four protective orders taken out against him by three women.

Police said they also confiscated $4,700 in cash, a digital scale, numerous suboxone prescription scripts and a food stamp EBT card issued to a different man from the Harrison Avenue apartment. Some of the drugs were allegedly found in an unused baby’s diaper.

Taunton attorney Thomas Natoli, appointed by the court to represent all three male suspects, asked the judge to set bail at $5,000. He argued Cananzey is not a flight risk, that he has children and holds down a job as a carpenter.

“The good news is there were no guns,” Natoli told Phillips, who immediately set bail at 10 times the requested amount.

Alix A. Blass, 28, was charged with possession of cocaine and committing a drug offense in a school zone.

Police say they confiscated 11 grams of crack cocaine and less than half a gram of heroin from Blass’ 269 Bay St. apartment.

Phillips set bail of $50,000 and also ordered Blass be held without bail after revoking bail for an open court case involving possession and distribution of cocaine.

Police also arrested his girlfriend, Nicole McCaffrey on charges of possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) and a school zone drug violation. Police said they confiscated nearly $2,200, rolled up into six bundles, from McCaffrey’s purse.

Phillips ordered that she be released on her own recognizance. McCaffrey is scheduled to be back for a hearing May 8.

Mark A. Mayers, 38, was arrested on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of cocaine.

Police said they confiscated less than half a gram each of heroin and cocaine from his apartment, located at 1 First Ave. But they also said they found a cutting agent, a ledger book and a scale suggesting that Mayers has been involved in distribution.

Natoli argued that Mayers holds down a job and was “completely cooperative” when he was apprehended. He also noted that Mayers previously has successfully completed terms of probation.

“He listens to the court,” Natoli said.

Phillips declined to release Mayers and instead set bail at $5,000, pending an April 2 pretrial hearing.

Twenty-nine-year-old Meredith Kirby, described by prosecutors as Mayers’ girlfriend, was ordered held on $2,000 cash bail. She is charged with being present where heroin is kept.

Paula Plouffe, Kirby’s court-appointed lawyer, asked that she be released, noting that Kirby has been regularly attending drug counseling sessions in Providence, has been using methadone to fight drug addiction and works as a barber.

The commonwealth was represented by assistant district attorneys Katie Rayburn and Garret Fregault.

Taunton is still in the midst of a heroin overdose problem. Police said 87 people, nearly all of them city residents, have overdosed since the beginning of 2014, including two on Friday afternoon.

Police said a man and woman were revived just after 2 p.m. by responding paramedics using the antidote drug Narcan.

Cops said the initial call indicated a car accident, but that it soon became clear the couple had managed to park in a handicapped space near the AutoZone store on Joseph Warner Boulevard.

Seven people have died of heroin-related overdoses in Taunton since Jan. 1, according to police.

Taunton police Chief Edward Walsh, when asked to comment on Friday’s arrests and the rising number of heroin overdoses, issued the following statement:

“We made some arrests today as part of our ongoing investigations with the DEA and DA’s Office to stop this killer heroin on our streets,” Walsh wrote in an e-mail.

“We will continue our efforts while realizing that much more still needs to be done relative to treatment and prevention,” he added.